Position: Postdoctoral Fellow in Statistical Genetics. This position is 100% funded for two years. Salary and benefits are competitive.
Starting Date: May 2025 or later
Location: Department of Biostatistics at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, TX
Duties and Responsibilities: The Postdoctoral Fellow will work under the supervision of Dr. Ryan Sun. This position involves developing and applying statistical methodology for high-dimensional inference in translational genetics studies. Specifically, there will be a focus on testing of composite null hypotheses, with applications to mediation analysis, pleiotropy analysis, replication analysis, and similar study designs in genetics research. Examples of datasets of interest include the UK Biobank and the International Lung Cancer Consortium compendium. The fellow will be expected to write first-author manuscripts for publication in statistics and biostatistics journals. MD Anderson also offers numerous collaborative opportunities; the level of involvement in these collaborative projects is flexible, depending on the goals of the fellow.
The fellow will receive close mentorship and will be encouraged to reach their short-term and long-term career objectives. The fellow will also be encouraged to present their work at national and international conferences and will be given opportunities to gain teaching and mentoring skills as well.
Qualifications: We seek a motivated recent or soon-to-be Ph.D. graduate with strong statistical, computing, and genetics backgrounds. Expertise in one or more of the following areas is preferred: navigating large, biobank-type datasets, working with high-performance computing infrastructure, and interacting with disease-specific genetics researchers. Successful candidates will also demonstrate strong communication and writing skills. Please email rsun3@mdanderson.org with questions.
Environment: Located in Houston, Texas, the Department of Biostatistics at MD Anderson Cancer Center (MDACC) is home to approximately 25 faculty, over 30 staff biostatisticians, and dozens of PhD students and postdoctoral fellows. MDACC has been ranked as the No. 1 cancer care and research institution in the U.S. for four of the past five years by US News. MDACC also has a well-earned reputation for promoting career development among postdoctoral fellows. For example, in 2007, MDACC was ranked number 1 among the “Best Places to Work” for postdocs by The Scientist.
As the 4th largest city and recently named the most diverse city in the U.S., Houston offers numerous opportunities for cultural enrichment, entertainment, fine dining, continuing higher education, and year-round recreation. It features great neighborhoods, a very reasonable cost of living, and a variety of lifestyle choices.
Application Instructions: Interested applicants should send a (1) cover letter describing career goals, prior experience, and research interests; (2) writing sample such as a publication, preprint, or manuscript draft; (3) curriculum vitae; (4) contact information of three references to: rsun3@mdanderson.org. Applicants will be reviewed on a rolling basis.